Thomas Helmer

Football player infobox
playername = Thomas Helmer


fullname = Thomas Helmer
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1965|4|21
height = height|m=1.85
cityofbirth = Herford
countryofbirth = West Germany
currentclub = retired
position = Defender"
years = 1984–1986
1986–1992
1992–1999
1999–2000
1999
clubs = Arminia Bielefeld
Borussia Dortmund
Bayern Munich
Sunderland
→ Hertha BSC Berlin (loan)
caps(goals) = 039 0(5)
190 (16)
191 (24)
002 0(0)
0050 (1)
youthyears =
youthclubs =
nationalyears = 1990–1998
nationalteam = Germany
nationalcaps(goals) = 068 0(5)
pcupdate =
ntupdate =

Thomas Helmer (born April 21 1965 in Herford, West Germany) is a former German international footballer. His preferred playing position was libero (sweeper), however he was primarily deployed as a centre-back.Radnedge, Keir "The Ultimate Encyclopedia of European Football" (1997, Carlton Books) 153-154] He spent most of his club career with Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich, and won the European Championship with Germany in 1996.

Early Bundesliga career and Bayern Munich transfer controversy

Helmer began his career with Arminia Bielefeld in 1986, moving to Borussia Dortmund in 1989. In 1992, he joined Bayern Munich in controversial circumstances. Dortmund did not wish to sell Helmer, one of their best players, to a rival Bundesliga team, and sent him to Lyon in France's Ligue 1. However, only three months later, Lyon sold Helmer to Bayern Munich for 7.5 million Mark, at the time a record transfer fee paid by the Bavarian club. The resultant furore became so heated that the German coach Berti Vogts threatened to drop Helmer from the Euro 92 squad because of the distraction the affair was causing.

Later club career

Helmer was an integral part, and, eventually, captain of an ascendant Bayern Munich team of the late-90's, winning three Bundesliga titles, one cup (as well as three German League cups) and the UEFA Cup during his time with the club. Upon leaving Bayern Munich in 1999, he opted to move to the Premier League. He was offered a contract by Liverpool, but chose instead to join newly promoted Sunderland on a free transfer. [cite web | url = http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/soccer/world/players/4696/ | publisher= CNNSI.com | title = Thomas Helmer | accessdate = 2008-04-20 | date = 2001-11-01] Sunderland manager Peter Reid hardly used him, however, and he returned to Germany on loan with Hertha BSC Berlin. Although he had appeared in the Champions League for Hertha, upon his return to Sunderland, Reid judged that “his legs had gone”, and the club bought-out his contract. [cite web | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/low/football/teams/s/sunderland/1037113.stm | title = Helmer heads home | accessdate = 2008-04-20 | publisher = BBC Sport | date = 2000-11-23]

International career

Helmer made his full international debut for Germany in 1993, a 3–1 victory in a friendly match with Sweden in Stockholm. [cite web | url = http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/helmer-intl.html | title = Thomas Helmer - International Appearances | accessdate = 2008-04-20 | publisher = rsssf.com] He enjoyed great success in the European Championship, as a starting centre-back in consecutive finals. In 1992, Germany were, surprisingly, only runners-up, losing 2–0 to Denmark, but four years later went one better, defeating the Czech Republic in extra-time at Wembley. He also appeared in two World Cups, bowing out of international football in the second round of the 1998 World Cup, when he was replaced before half time by Christian Ziege. [cite web | url = http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/archive/edition=1013/results/matches/match=8777/report.html | title = Germany - Mexico | accessdate = 2008-04-20 | publisher = FIFA.com]

Post-playing career

Since his retirement, Helmer has worked as a sports journalist and television presenter on sports channel DSF. He has continued to serve as Germany's ambassador to children's charity “FIFA for SOS Children's Villages”, a role he first undertook back in 1997. [cite web | url = http://www.soschildrensvillages.ca/cgi-bin/sos/jsp/retrieve.do?lang=en&site=CA&nav=6.5&cat=/655_other_partner1&fn=6568_helmer_en.xml | title = Germany: Thomas Helmer | accessdate = 2008-04-20 | publisher = www.soschildrensvillages.ca]

References